Final Distance
by DemonSaya
Summary: *Chapter 3 added* Sequel to DBHH...Hmm, it's time for our two heros to rescue Souta! Yay! What will happen to Maikeru, now?!
1. Prolouge

Final Distance  
By: DemonSaya  
  
Author's Notes: This is the long awaited sequel to Demon Body,   
Human Heart. It's going to take place mostly in the future, and will   
probably be longer than it's predecessor. I have some rather sick twists   
plotted into the story, and decided which characters would be returning   
cooler than ever, and which would remain in the background this time.   
This one I'm hoping will be a little more comedic, and alot less angsty,   
mainly because I may throw in some random guest appearances. Who?   
Do you think I'm that nuts? That would give it all away!  
  
Flame Policy: Just don't do it. Trust me. I can get scarier than Otouto-  
chan.  
  
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Prolouge-Rebirth  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The spirit had floated in limbo for five hundred years, looking for a   
human who was evil enough for him to be reborn into. He scoured the   
globe, dreaming of the day he would get his revenge upon Inuyasha   
and his little witch. No little human should have been able to kill him,   
and no hanyou should have been able to injure him so badly.  
  
His hatred for the inuyoukai grew stronger and stronger, till finally, it   
began to eat away at his spirit. When he finally found a human who   
was corrupt enough for him to possess, he'd almost lost all of himself.   
He'd never felt so weak in his life.  
  
Was this what death felt like?  
  
He'd thought death was when he'd been purified, but no, only his body   
died that day. His soul remained floating in limbo, on the earth plane,   
but unable to obtain the shikon no tama which he so desperately   
desired. It still missed two pieces, but he knew it no longer existed in   
his time. Well, if that was the case, he would just have to wait and bide   
his time.  
  
And wait he did. He waited for five hundred years, till a body corrupt   
enough with hatred accepted him. It was the body of a teenage boy   
who was dying of cancer. When Naraku found him, he felt a strange   
feeling, as if he pitied the boy, or even felt a strange kinship to him.  
  
"I can save you." Naraku said softly, his face completely emotionless   
as he looked down at the child. "I can give you power you never   
dreamed, and in doing so, you can extract your revenge on human   
kind." He saw the boy's eyes narrow a bit and smiled.  
  
"Hmph...what do I care..." He looked away. "Everyone just wants me to   
die. Mom says she wants me to live, but I know the truth. She just   
wants me to die!"  
  
Naraku reached into the boy's heart and found a twinge of doubt. "If   
they want you to die, wouldn't they hate it if you lived..." He saw the   
boy's eyes widen and knew he had him. "Just imagine if you made a full   
recovery, and were stronger than before...more powerful than before..."   
He linked his soul with the boy's and cried out in pain as some of his   
energy drained. "Join with me...and survive..."  
  
The boy's body convulsed in pain and arched off the bed. The heart   
monitors went crazy, and nurses flooded the room. "Maikeru!" A   
middle-aged woman cried, running in behind the nurses.  
  
Naraku looked through the eyes of the boy as the child's body stilled.   
The boy's mind was still there, connected with his, but it made him   
stronger, absorbing the boy's hatred into his own body. "Mother..."   
Naraku said, and smiled weakly.  
  
The woman burst into sobs.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Naraku frowned as he walked towards the school which he now was   
forced to go to. Perhaps he should have picked an older person. Not   
that it mattered. He knew there was nothing these people could teach   
him that he didn't already know.  
  
He'd adapted to his new appearance relatively quickly, his now short   
brown hair and deep green eyes feeling rather comforting to him. It was   
nice to have a physical presence again. Unfortunately, he wasn't   
enjoying being treated like a frail child. He was Naraku. If that bitch   
hadn't interfered, he would have been able to complete the shikon no   
tama and would have been the most powerful demon alive.  
  
His problem with school wasn't so much that he was forced to go   
practically every day. It was the stupid looking uniform they made him   
wear. And all the girls that fawned after him. It didn't help that so far   
he'd heard nothing of the Shikon no Tama, nor had he seen the hanyou   
and his bitch.  
  
'What are you thinking about, now, Naraku-sama?" The boy that   
shared his mind asked.  
  
"Hmph." Naraku said, walking past a bunch of giggling girls. "As if   
you don't know, anyways." He knew that when he was stronger, he'd   
just absorb the boy until there was nothing left. That wasn't possible,   
because the boy's heart was far stronger than he'd suspected. In   
addition, it wasn't as dark as he thought it would be.  
  
'Who is Inuyasha?'  
  
He ground his teeth together at the mention of the name. "A   
bastard...who took from me something that would have made me the   
most powerful being alive. Him and his whore." He growled. "The   
Shikon no Tama..."  
  
'I have heard of it. My mother claimed to want it so she could save me.   
Hmph. She just wanted to wish my death with it.'  
  
Naraku sneered, till he heard something catch his ear.  
  
"Mou, Inuyasha! You can't stay at my house if you don't come to   
school! You heard Mama!"  
  
Naraku turned half-way, looking towards the girl who'd spoken. He   
almost gasped in shock, but managed to quell it.  
  
It was the girl.  
  
Inuyasha was walking beside her, arguing, his collar unbuttoned, his   
eyes flashing in anger.  
  
Naraku smiled cruelly.  
  
He'd found them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
End Prolouge  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Notes: Well, what do you think? I hope things will get a bit   
more interesting in the later chapters. I wasn't really sure how I was   
going to bring him back, but I guess this works for now. Until next   
Chapter! *DemonSaya* 


	2. Chapter 1

Final Distance  
By: DemonSaya  
  
Disclaimer: Okay, I dun own any of these characters, I'm borrowing   
them, and I promised that I'd return them. Well...I promised because   
Inuyasha's rather mad that I kidnapped them for awhile and I'm afraid   
he may pull out his sword and demolish me...Please don't sue me, I   
already have a pmsing adolescent half-demon to deal with!  
  
Policy on Flamers: Give me Love, Peace, and Chicken Grease, and I shall   
give you the same. If you don't, I know lots of assassins, thieves,   
demons, and goddesses, that would love to hurt you if I told them you   
flamed ^_^  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 1-Rules of the House  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It had been three years since they had finally defeated Naraku, and   
Inuyasha had been spending more and more time with the Higurashi's,   
so much in fact, Kagome's mom had begun to set down several rules for   
her seventeen year old daughter and her furry-eared companion.  
  
First, he was to go to school. If he was going to marry her daughter,   
dog-demon or not, he was going to be able to get a job! So, within two   
day's, Inuyasha was uniformed, had a fake history, and was enrolled in   
ALL of Kagome's classes.  
  
Second, there would be no more sneaking into Kagome's room in the   
middle of the night for ANY reason whatsoever. She knew very well   
what happened when two teenagers were alone together and there   
would be none of THAT under her roof. The spare bedroom had been   
refurbished and decorated, much to Inuyasha's surprise (and delight,   
but he'd be damned if he was going to admit something like that in front   
of his woman).  
  
Third came Inuyasha's wardrobe. Emphasis on the word WARdrobe. It   
took quite a bit of convincing and sitting before he agreed that in the   
duration of his time with Kagome in her 'world', he would have to part   
with his beloved kimono. Kagome and her mother took him out   
shopping for other clothing, and after he sulked for a few minutes, he   
sort of got into being fawned over by two women (once again, good   
luck getting him to admit it). He especially liked it when Kagome   
blushed because he looked good in whatever it was he was wearing.  
  
Unfortunately for Inuyasha, that day at the mall brought about another   
small problem, hence, another rule to follow. His manners were   
obviously going to be torn apart and put back together properly.  
  
Finally, three years later, Inuyasha was a relatively respectable citizen of   
modern Japan. Relatively, because some old habits die hard.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Inuyasha lay in his new, extremely soft and comfortable bed, staring at   
the roof, unable to sleep. The Higurashi's never seemed to realize he   
was so used to not sleeping, it had become more than habit, it was to   
the point of being ritual.  
  
Each night, he'd lay abed for about half an hour, then get up and pace,   
then stand by the window, and then go back to pacing. It took him a   
little over a month to realize it wasn't just habit, it was natural. Demons   
didn't need as much sleep as humans, who spent a quarter of their short   
lives asleep. He could remember sleeping well only once, and that was a   
time he'd stayed overnight at Kagome's house, and had fallen to sleep   
on her bed.  
  
Every other time people thought he was really asleep, in reality, he was   
awake. This did not exclude his time pinned to Goshinboku. While his   
body may have been sleeping, his mind was active the entire time. Each   
razor sharp sense, save sight, was working overtime during that fifty-  
year period.  
  
Now that he was in Kagome's time, he was expected to live like other   
humans, but he would never be like other humans. Neither would   
Kagome. He was a hanyou, and even if he lost his claws and fangs,   
every cell of his body was saturated with demonic power. Kagome was   
a powerful priestess, guardian of the Shikon no Tama. Even now, he   
would catch her edges shimmering when she was happy.  
  
As the years had progressed and they'd continued to look in on the   
village in his time, Kaede had taught her how to harness and control her   
powers, and had explained rather ominously that soon Kagome would   
have to teach someone herself.  
  
Aggrevated, Inuyasha drug a hand through his hair, going back to   
pacing his room. If only he could just sneak into Kagome's room for a   
moment and just lean over her and breath her scent. If he could just do   
that, he would be able to relax. Something strangely familiar, yet oddly   
elusive was brushing at the edge of his senses. He recognized it like he   
recognized Kagome's scent, yet more fleeting than the glimpse of a   
spirit.  
  
It was like a warning.  
  
Shaking his head, he looked out the window. It was impossible. This   
was Kagome's time, after all. Demons don't exist here. He paused,   
realizing he was assuming too much. Demons DID live in Kagome's   
time, just as many as in his own, but hidden behind jobs and in forests.  
  
With a growl, he opened his window, letting in some fresh cool air. The   
smell of winter was in the air. It was as tangible as her scent, sweet and   
almost frighteningly refreshing. It made him want to smell it more.  
  
Shaking his head, he forced himself to relax, lifting his face to the breeze.   
Tomorrow was his first day to this think called 'school'. He needed to   
get a grip on himself and his infinite well of paranoia. He didn't care if   
Kagome said it was perfectly natural and that every human had it, he   
had to act like a human. A white haired, dog-eared, demon-eyed human,   
but hell, he'd seen stranger things in his brief time here.  
  
With a groan, he walked to the door, throwing it open, preparing to go   
and at least look in on Kagome. He was, of course, surprised to see a   
very surprised Kagome on the other side of his door.  
  
She blushed softly, biting her lip. "I...I wanted to see if you were   
okay..." She said hooking an ankle behind the other and peering up at   
him from under her eyebrows.  
  
A move he found incredibly cute.  
  
Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her, inhaling her scent   
deeply. He felt her arms go around him instantly and smiled a bit. "I'm   
find, now..." He said, resting his cheek against her hair. "You should   
be asleep, though. You've got that school thing tomorrow."  
  
"You're one to talk." She teased, tapping his chest lightly. She saw the   
faint lines of worry and barely disernable stress marks and reached up,   
smoothing his brow. "Inuyasha, what's wrong?" She asked, suddenly   
worried. She'd known something was wrong, in fact it had woken her   
from the dead of sleep and the Shikon no Tama had felt ice cold against   
her chest when she'd woken.  
  
He sighed, leaning against the wall and reaching up to hold her hand   
against his cheek. "I'm not sure." He frowned deeply. "It feels familiar,   
but I can't quite place it." He shook his head, straightening, then   
cocked his head to his room. "Wanna come sit down?" He left the door   
open on purpose.  
  
She smiled. "Yes." She followed him, examining his back carefully. It   
wasn't heavily scarred, but his more serious injuries were still faintly   
visible. When his brother had punched through his stomach, several   
other marks she recognized from when he'd come out of the worse end   
of a fight. While he was still standing, she quickly crossed the floor and   
wrapped her arms around his back, resting her cheek against his   
shoulder.  
  
He stood still, closing his eyes a bit. He could feel her warm breath   
rushing across his back, her tiny hands flat against his stomach and   
chest. He knew there were scars in those places, and let her lose herself   
in the memories for a moment. Finally, he rested his hands over hers,   
lacing his fingers with hers. "Kagome..." He said gently.  
  
She clung to him tighter. "I love you..." She whispered desperately. In   
the three years since that time when the fight could have gone either   
way, they'd said this so little, choosing instead to save these words for   
special moments that would hopefully keep the novelty of the phrase.   
This was one of those times for her. She had the feeling like before they   
defeated Naraku, like any moment could be their last together.  
  
It frightened her.  
  
Inuyasha turned in her embrace and hugged her gently. "I love you,   
too..." He murmured back, letting his lips graze her temple. He could   
hear her heart fluttering like a sparrows wings and stroked her hair. "It's   
okay, Kagome. I'll protect you, you know that."  
  
She nodded, fisting her hands against his back. "I know you will, but   
don't be afraid to let me protect you, now and then..." She closed her   
eyes and a flash of images splashed through her mind, a vision of what   
was to come, but she was unable to desipher it, due to the sheer   
number. She did, however feel the emotions. Fear, desperation, yet at   
the same time, joy, new love, and excitement. She didn't know the order   
in which they would come, but she hoped the fear was a long way away.  
  
Only one of the images was especially clear to her. Inuyasha, human   
and his emotions in turmoil.  
  
She stepped back, taking her hands and squeezing them gently. "I want   
you to know that I love you no matter what, no matter what you look   
like, or what happens. I love you the most."  
  
He saw the haunted look in her eyes that seemed to have been coming   
more and more frequently lately and scooped both of her hands up into   
his. "I know, Kagome." He sat on the edge of his sofa-sleeper, bringing   
Kagome with him and leaning against the back, holding her against his   
side. "Get some sleep, okay. If you don't, you'll be a mess tomorrow."  
  
She nodded sleepily, slipping her arms around his waist and dozing off.  
  
He reached around, grabbing the comforter from the chair beside the   
sofa, and wrapped it around them, resting his head on her shoulder. As   
he sat beside her, only one thing came to mind.  
  
"Please, keep her safe."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kagome's mother came in to wake Inuyasha the next morning, and   
found the demon standing by the window, staring out, his face serious,   
and almost solemn. "Inuyasha, is anything wrong?"  
  
"No." He said, automatically. He'd learned quickly not to share his   
brooding with the over-protective mother. He saw the woman's eyes on   
Kagome and squirmed a bit. "She couldn't sleep, so I let her crash in   
here. I don't need as much sleep as humans do." He said, looking out   
the window again to avoid the look the woman gave him.  
  
Mrs. Higurashi frowned a bit. "I don't know if I'm comfortable with you   
and my daughter sneaking off to each other's rooms at all hours of the   
night." She scolded.  
  
He just shrugged.  
  
Kagome woke up at the sound of her voices, at first, uncertain of where   
she was. When she realized, she bolted upright, blushing from ear to   
ear. The blush only worsened when she saw Inuyasha and her mother   
looking at her. "Um..."  
  
Her mother just shrugged, handing her a clean uniform. "Just go to   
your room to change. We'll talk about this later." She said evenly, then   
waited till her daughter was out of the room before coming in and   
looking at Inuyasha sternly. "I don't want you pushing my baby into   
activities she isn't ready for yet."  
  
He turned towards her, his eyes dead serious. "I didn't force her to stay   
in here last night. I offered. She was tired, but she was also worried   
about something, and something's bothering me too. We needed each   
other's presence to get calm enough to go on with life. For her, life was   
sleep. For me..." He just stopped, realizing he had just spent the entire   
night looking down at her. "It was comfort." He said finally.  
  
The older woman blinked in surprise. "If you two insist on being in the   
same room, leave the door to the room open. No hanky-panky under my   
roof, understand?!"  
  
"I don't even know what hanky-panky IS..." He muttered grumpily after   
she'd left. Maybe he'd ask Kagome what that meant. With a sigh, he   
went about getting dressed in the really f*cking uncomfortable school   
uniform that he was forced to wear to school every damned day.  
  
School itself wasn't all that bad, but these uniforms were seriously   
annoying. But at least Kagome thought he looked good in it. He could   
tell, because the first day he'd worn it, she'd gotten that sweet blush on   
her face she always did when she was embarassed. But she hadn't   
looked away. With a growl, he tugged at the collar, and finally he   
unbuttoned the top three loops. He'd correct it at school, but this was   
too uncomfortable for now.  
  
It was the first day back after a long weekend which included the   
autumn festival, and he could feel the weather seeping into his skin. It   
was going to be very cold today. With a deep frown, he went to the   
window and watched as the glass fogged in response to the heat from   
his body. Yes, it was deffinately cold.  
  
He ran a brush through his hair, since Mrs. Higurashi had deemed he   
would have the materials to groom himself properly. Not that he   
objected. That shampoo and conditioner stuff left his hair feeling soft,   
and less coarse than when it was tangled and matted and only washed   
when he got drenched during the rains. Besides, Kagome seemed to   
like it. With a shrug, he grabbed a scrap of leather he'd managed to   
attain, and had fashioned with clips to keep his hair out of his face. It   
was a contraption Kagome had helped him design. Smiling fondly, he   
pulled his hair back and fastened it in the little device.  
  
He stepped outside the room and was immediately greeted with a cold   
stare from 'grandpa'. He cringed, knowing that it meant everyone in the   
house knew Kagome had slept in his room. He glanced towards Souta,   
who was the age Kagome had been when he'd met her, and gave a   
helpless shrug, which caused the boy to laugh.  
  
"Guess there's no helping it, ne?" He said, grinning from ear to ear. "If   
you're rooms right next to the living room, everyone knows what   
happens in it!"  
  
Inuyasha prickled. He knew the kid was just kidding, but he was short-  
tempered today. "Oi, kid, dress warm today, or that mortal blood of   
yours will freeze." He said, storming up to the bathroom to brush his   
teeth.  
  
This was another modern chore he didn't mind. In fact, he found it   
rather pleasant. It felt like the little brush was massaging his entire   
mouth, and it left a minty flavor in it's wake. DEFFINATELY an activity   
he enjoyed.  
  
He'd just stuck the brush in his mouth when Kagome walked in,   
shivering. She was dressed in her uniform, but he knew those things   
were very drafty, he'd heard her complain about it before. He looked at   
her in concern, an emotion that was completely lost due to the tooth   
brush in his mouth.  
  
Kagome gave him a bright smile, going for her own and brushing her   
own teeth.  
  
He finished the chore and quickly rinsed his mouth. "Kagome." He   
said softly. "Don't forget your coat, today. It smells like early winter."  
  
"But it's supposed to be warm today." She said softly, blinking in   
confusion. "That's what the weatherman said..."  
  
He gave her a wicked grin. "The weather man doesn't kow what he's   
looking for. It smells like winter's coming today. It's going to be cold,   
so bundle up." He smiled, caressing her cheek softly.  
  
Kagome blushed, nodding. She'd learned in the three years she'd   
known him to trust his sense of smell, as well as his instincts. They   
were sharper than a sword. "Hai..." She pushed herself onto her   
tiptoes, kissing him lightly on the cheek, then skipping out of the   
bathroom, leaving him with a confused look on his face.  
  
"Three years...and I STILL don't get her..." He grumbled, rinsing off the   
brush and dropping it into the cup with the rest of them. Then, just   
before he left the bathroom, that strangely familiar prickling sensation   
ran through him, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on   
end.  
  
He recognized it better now. It was the same feeling he'd gotten   
whenever he saw the crows three years ago.  
  
Something was coming.  
  
And it wasn't going to be pretty...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The group of three walked down the street towards the high school,   
which happened to be on the way to Souta's new middle school. The   
youngest Higurashi had matured greatly due to his sister, and his   
sister's boyfriend.  
  
When he was eleven, he'd listened to the stories in rapt silence,   
absolutely amazed by the adventures they'd endured together. As he'd   
grown older, and had entered middle school, he started to become aware   
of girls. His mother had sheltered him so much, he didn't respond well   
at all.  
  
Now, he was pretty cool about the whole thing, with Inuyasha telling   
him he'd better get used to it, because since he had his sister's blood in   
him, every girl in school would be falling over him. The hanyou was   
right, too. At least fifty percent of the female population was chasing   
after him by now, although he'd learned from his sister not to rush into   
things.  
  
Not that she was one to talk.  
  
Souta grinned at the pair that was now quite comfortable in each other's   
company. They didn't seem to have a problem with walking around   
hand in hand, in the middle of a rather large group of kids going to   
school.  
  
Not that life had been quite for anyone in the Higurashi household   
since Inuyasha's arrival and the partial completion of the Shikon no   
Tama. They had been attacked by demon's several times, and Kagome   
had insisted on bringing Souta along.  
  
Souta hadn't understood at first, till Kagome took him into her room one   
day and told him that he was nearing the age she'd been when her own   
powers had peaked. He didn't understand the significance when he'd   
been told about two years ago, until one time he saw his sister glowing.  
  
He'd screamed his head off.  
  
It turned out that it was just her powers causing her to glow, and after a   
few minutes...hours...days...he'd come to terms with this new little   
arrangement. Now, he was wondering what was going to happen to him   
when his own powers emerged.  
  
Now, they were walking to school, acting like a bunch of normal   
teenagers (even if one happened to have dog-ears), talking about what   
they were going to do after school, and this weekend. Souta said   
Inuyasha and Kagome should go on a date, which cause both to blush   
awkwardly.   
  
Three years, and they STILL hadn't gone out on a date.  
  
Souta was more than a little exasperated with them.  
  
What he didn't realize was the pair often snuck off during the day to be   
alone with each other, and would whisper endearments to each other,   
and make little secret promises.  
  
"Mou, Souta..." Kagome said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.   
"If mom heard you talking like that, she'd lock you in your room."  
  
"What?!" Souta just smiled. "I just think you two should go on one of   
those dates your friends keep trying to hook you both up on." He saw   
the twinge of irritation in Inuyasha's eyes and knew what that was   
about.  
  
Even though Kagome had officially broken up with Houjo three years   
ago, her friends still tried to hook them up on dates. Recently, however,   
they'd stopped, trying instead to hook her up with a rather attractive   
American by the name of Maikeru Curaaku (Michael Clark). Inuyasha   
was more than a little threatened by him.  
  
Kagome saw the jealous twinge in her boyfriends eyes and giggled. "I   
don't think it's any of your business, Souta." She said, giving   
Inuyasha's hand a gentle squeeze. She knew Inuyasha felt equally as   
threatened by Maikeru as he'd felt from Kouga. He knew she was loyal   
to him, but he'd explained no matter how much he trusted her, he didn't   
trust the rest of the world.  
  
He was so silly sometimes.  
  
Inuyasha relaxed at the feeling of her hand tightening around his. "Keh,   
dates aren't that important." He grumbled. He felt the hand slip from   
his and wondered what he'd said wrong this time. He saw the irritation   
in her eyes and knew what was coming.  
  
"Inuyasha...SIT." She ordered, hearing the resounding thud as he was   
flattened to the ground. She'd explain why she'd done it later, and   
would tell him that dates ARE important, and a good way to stake your   
claim on someone.  
  
Inuyasha remembered the pancakes they'd eaten that morning and idly   
wondered if this was what if felt like. But it wasn't a time to worry about   
what being a pancake felt like. They were going to be late to school if   
he didn't peel himself up. "Dammit, woman, what was that for!?" He   
asked, popping up.  
  
She took his hand again, immediately disarming him. "I'll explain later."   
She said, watching her brother walk of in the direction of the middle   
school, laughing his ass off. "I think you've been a bad influence on   
him." She teased, dragging him towards the highschool.  
  
"Keh." He grumbled.  
  
She wrapped both of her arms around his arm, laughing happily.  
  
He harumphed, shrugging off his confusion. He'd accepted the fact   
he'd probably never understand girls years ago.  
  
Specifically, directly after he met Kagome.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They made it to school on time.  
  
Barely.  
  
They didn't notice they were being watched as they rushed to their   
seats. Piercing green eyes watched them intently. 'That's them? They   
don't look that troublesome.'  
  
Naraku ground Maikeru's teeth together in irritation. 'They are, trust   
me. They are the one's that killed me. There's no doubt of it.' He   
noticed a conflict in Maikeru's emotions and his mouth twitched.   
'What's your problem?'  
  
'B-betsuni...but...that girl...Kagome?' There was a long pause, and even   
more mental confusion. 'She's kind of cute. I didn't notice before when   
her friends were trying to hook us up, but she really is kinda cute.'  
  
'Great, now you have a crush on her.' Naraku grumbled, forcing himself   
to look at the sensei so he wouldn't get in trouble.  
  
Yet, without realizing it, Maikeru took over, glancing towards her   
several times. He hadn't noticed before that she was actually quite   
attractive. She seemed like a perfectly normal high school girl. An   
exceptionally happy, but perfectly normal high schooler.  
  
Naraku quickly seized control. 'Don't go falling for her. She's my arch   
enemy. I'm going to have to kill her and her boyfriend.' Mostly her, he   
didn't add. After all, it was her fault he was dead in the first place.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Inuyasha sat at the dinner table, dressed in pajama, his hair pulled back   
again, soaking wet, which of course caused the back of his pajama to be   
wet as well. He heard someone coming in behind him and sniffed   
deeply. "Oi, Souta." He said evenly, glancing back at him.  
  
The boy looked kind of embarassed, if not a bit annoyed. "Are you   
dating my sister or not?" He asked, sitting down next to Inuyasha.  
  
The demon sighed heavily. "This dating thing again? What's the point   
of it? After all, we've already said how we feel about each other. Isn't   
the rest just...formality?" He dropped his pencil, staring down at the   
evil thing that Kagome called mathmatics. "Besides, I'm about 12 years   
behind your sister in schooling, and I have to catch up. No time for   
leisure."  
  
"Baka." Souta said evenly, frowning at Inuyasha. "Dates are important   
to girls. It's a way of showing a girl if you're serious about her. I mean,   
besides, if you go out on some dates with Kagome, it'll tell that Maikeru   
guy hands off, right?"  
  
Inuyasha blinked. "Maybe I don't want her to be ashamed of me. I'm   
still new to this modern crap." He sighed, gnawing on the end of his   
pencil. "I don't want her to be embarassed with me."  
  
"Keh..." Kagome's brother grumbled. "If you are ever going to marry   
my sister, you better get over that." He said as he stood. "I mean, do   
you think she'd have fallen for you if she was ashamed of you?"  
  
Inuyasha blinked, staring up at the kid.  
  
Souta shrugged, walking out of the room. "Hmph...it's none of my   
business, forget I said anything."  
  
The hanyou was still staring long after the boy was gone. Finally, a   
half-grin passed over his lips. "Heh...that kid grew up pretty quickly."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kagome ran a comb through her hair, wondering how she was going to   
explain the significance of dating to Inuyasha. He was so silly   
sometimes. She smiled fondly into her mirror, wondering what he'd say,   
and how he'd react.  
  
She was surprised to see Inuyasha standing in her doorway, his face   
quite serious. "Inuyasha..."  
  
"I'll take you on one, but not till the new moon."  
  
Kagome blinked, turning in her chair and staring at him, completely   
baffled. "Take me on one?" She asked. What on earth was he talking   
about. She tilted her head to the side, about to ask him to clarify when   
he answered for her.  
  
"A date, baka." He grumbled, blushing and looking away. "If it's that   
important, I'll take you on one..." He was surprised when she suddenly   
threw her arms around him, embracing him tightly. "Eh?!"  
  
"Arigatou, Inuyasha!" She exclaimed, smiling happily. "I'll never forget   
this!" She pulled him down by his dragon tails, kissing him lightly on   
the cheek, then ran away, going to the calendar. She found the day that   
said 'New Moon' and wrote 'Date with Inuyasha' in hiragana with a   
heart next to it.  
  
Inuyasha stood in her doorway, watching as she wrote this, and   
blushed deeper. "I...I'm going to my room..." He said, then walked   
away, wondering if this was a good time for him to be going on a date   
when he was so behind in school. It suddenly struck him that he had   
no idea what a guy did on a date that made them so special for girls.  
  
He facefaulted promptly, wishing he wasn't so damn hasty when he   
made decisions. "Chikushoooo..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
End Chapter 1: Rules of the House  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Notes: Ne, ne, what do you think? Believe it or not, Naraku   
isn't the main bad guy in this! YAY! In fact, I'm going to be absolutely   
terrible to monkey-man. And everyone else. Souta's going to be put   
through absolute hell. Oh, p.s., even though this is a sequel, it also   
works as a stand alone story! I didn't realize it as I wrote it. Maybe I'll   
go into the story from Demon Body, Human Heart, later. I dunno. See   
you next chapter! *DemonSaya* 


	3. Chapter 2

Final Distance  
By: DemonSaya  
  
Disclaimer: Okay, I dun own any of these characters, I'm borrowing   
them, and I promised that I'd return them. Well...I promised because   
Inuyasha's rather mad that I kidnapped them for awhile and I'm afraid   
he may pull out his sword and demolish me...Please don't sue me, I   
already have a pmsing adolescent half-demon to deal with!  
  
Policy on Flamers: Give me Love, Peace, and Chicken Grease, and I shall   
give you the same. If you don't, I know lots of assassins, thieves,   
demons, and goddesses, that would love to hurt you if I told them you   
flamed ^_^  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 2-Darkness in the Heart  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It has appeared. In this time, finally. I have found it! The Shikon no   
Tama! It DOES exist in this time!  
  
The darkness demon crept through the shadows, it's eyes glimmering   
with evil joy. It crept towards the jewel, it's hands outstretched, it's   
body screaming for more power. It got nearer and nearer, extending it's   
hand, and finally, closed it's hand around it.  
  
The jewel passed right through it.  
  
"NO!" The demon practically screamed. It had forgotten. It had no   
physical presence, as it was made of darkness. With a low growl, it left   
the human girls room, preparing to make a plan. She'd searched so   
carefully, there was no way it was slipping through it's grasp again!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ne, Kagome! Be CAREFUL with that!"  
  
Kagome looked from around the boxes, which were full of decorations   
and ornaments for christmas. "Eh?" She queried, just as she ran into   
Souta, who also couldn't see due to the sheer size of his stack of boxes.  
  
Inuyasha watched all the boxes begin to fall and sprung forward,   
catching every last one that had flown up into the air, stacking them all   
over again. He'd moved without thinking, remembering only the speed   
from the action of battle he'd been so long without. He missed it.  
  
Although they periodically visited the Sengoku period, there was never   
anything happening when they were there. Probably partially because   
of Kagome's power's. When they had peeked, everything for hundreds   
of miles were purified. Anything totally evil was obliterated, which   
included Naraku and Kikyou.  
  
Since then, he hadn't been in a SINGLE fight. Unless you call him   
occasionally rough housing with Souta and Kagome a fight. Carefully,   
he set the boxes down, looking towards his blushing girlfriend and her   
embarassed little brother, both who had landed on their asses as a result   
of their crash.  
  
"A-ano...Arigatou, Inuyasha..." Kagome said working on getting up off   
her butt. She can't believe that happened! It was all Inuyasha's fault   
anyways! He distracted her. The thought was totally without heat, and   
she'd mainly thought it because she couldn't believe she'd run into   
Souta. It NEVER happened. Somehow, the pair always knew where the   
other was, sometimes, eerily so.  
  
God, he better not get any ideas.  
  
"Arigatou, Inu-no-niichan." Souta said, his embarassment mostly gone,   
since he was used to making a fool of himself. Besides, he was a guy,   
and he could just shake it off and tease his sister, who was getting   
helped up by Inuyasha. "Nee-chan, you should watch where you're   
going!"  
  
She glared at him harshly. "Like you're one to talk." She grumbled, not   
objecting as Inuyasha sniffed her to make sure she wasn't hurt. He   
didn't realize the only thing wounded was her pride. She sighed,   
looking at the perfectly stacked boxes Inuyasha had caught a prayed   
the ornaments hadn't been broken.  
  
The children's mother entered the room, smiling brightly. "I think we'll   
put the tree in the living room, right in front of the window, what do you   
think, Kagome-chan?"  
  
Kagome nodded, happy. It had only been a week since the autumn   
festival, but last night, snow had fallen for the first time since last   
winter. "Hai! It'll be so pretty!" She ran into the living room to help her   
mother with the tree, then, as if on an after thought, peaked back in.   
"Ano, Inuyasha, could you help Souta bring in the boxes? Thanks!"  
  
Inuyasha stared at her, dumbfounded. This was his third christmas with   
the Higurashi's, and each year, Kagome's excitement always amazed   
him. "She's glowing again..." He muttered, shaking his head.  
  
"Ya know, Inuyasha..." Souta said, picking up two boxes carefully. "If   
we kept her happy all Christmas, we could just use her as the tree." He   
grunted, walking into the next room.  
  
Inuyasha chuckled, shaking his head. That was a certainly amusing   
image.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Later that night, while Kagome lay sleeping in bed, the darkness demon   
returned, deciding that it would possess HER, since she held the ability   
to harness the power of the jewel without it overtaking her.  
  
A body of such power would be quite useful in it's conquest of the   
world. It chuckled evilly, then reached an icy hand into Kagome's   
chest, searching her heart for even the smallest piece of darkness.  
  
Yet, all the demon found...  
  
Was light.  
  
It cried out, backing away from the girl. There was no way such a   
human could exist! All humans had darkness in their hearts, which was   
why they were so much easier to possess than demons. There was   
nothing except joy and laughter in her heart, no fear, no anger, or even   
contempt!  
  
It was impossible!  
  
Hissing, it reached in and touched her heart again. Still, nothing. Only   
light.  
  
Kagome gasped in pain, feeling as if an ice cold hand was reaching in   
and squeezing her heart. She awoke, clutching her pajama over her   
heart, sitting quickly, breathing heavily. "Ite..." She gasped, her eyes   
narrowed.  
  
It held on, waiting for the fear to overwhelm her, but nothing happened,   
and the hearts purity was burning her away. It hissed again, releasing   
her and darting out of the room.  
  
The young woman didn't know why, but somehow she knew she must   
not let her fear take her over until after whatever had her released her, so   
she closed her eyes, remembering Inuyasha's kiss, his warm arms.   
When the freezing coldness receded, she jumped out of bed and raced   
for Inuyasha's room, throwing the door open.  
  
She was surprised to find him asleep.  
  
Silently, she walked towards his sofa-bed, kneeling beside it and staring   
into his peacefully sleeping face. Without a word, she leaned down,   
kissing him gently. She heard him murmur in his sleep and smiled   
fondly. Until his face turned to pain and he began shifting seeming to   
fight something that was at his chest, where his heart should be.  
  
Gently, so she wouldn't frighten him and get clawed from head to foot,   
she shook him, whispering his name. "Inuyasha, wake up, Inuyasha!"   
She saw his eyes snap open, pained and frightened and leaned down,   
kissing his lips tenderly.  
  
He had felt the cold hand grab his heart and was asleep, so he was   
disoriented and confused when he awoke. When warm, familiar lips   
touched his, he felt warmth flood him and heard a soft hissing. He   
opened his eyes, seeing a shadowy form slide into the darkest corner of   
the room where it disappeared. When his eyes returned to the girl   
beside his bed, it took him a moment to recognize her.  
  
"It's okay, Inuyasha..." She said softly, staring up into his glowing,   
animal-like eyes. He was so beautiful to her. Yet, an instinct told her   
they'd both been in great danger that night. Danger so great, she knew   
it would be back. Without another word, she stood, sitting beside him   
and wrapped her arms around his chest.  
  
He returned the embrace silently. He could still feel the sensation of an   
icy hand gripping his heart and shivered, grabbing the blanket and   
throwing it around them. "Kagome, are you okay?" He asked,   
wrapping his arm tightly around her shoulders.  
  
"I'm fine...You?"  
  
"I'm not sure...I feel cold..." He said softly. "I feel like death reached in   
and grabbed my heart..." He felt her shiver and embraced her tightly.   
"Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
She nodded. "I promise, I'm okay. Just let me stay with you for   
awhile..." She heard his softly given consent and her heart warmed, and   
she glowed just a bit. She closed her eyes, burying her face into his   
chest and moving onto his lap.  
  
He stroked her back tenderly, feeling the glow give off an incredible   
warmth that seeped into his body, warming him from the tips of his toes,   
to the tips of his ears. "Go to sleep, Kagome, I promise, I'll protect   
you..."  
  
She nodded, dozing off against his chest.  
  
Inuyasha, however, didn't return to sleep. He knew the form of demon   
that had come after them. He also knew what it was after. If it couldn't   
possess them, it would go after someone, probably a demon, who had   
an imense amount of darkness in their hearts.  
  
It had been a long time since he'd encountered such a demon. He   
hadn't since before he'd met even Kikyou. It had tried to possess him,   
and had almost succeeded, due to the amount of resentment in his heart   
towards life, the universe, everything. Yet, somehow, he'd managed to   
fight it off, and it had never returned.  
  
The only thing that had beaten the demon, was hope.  
  
Even when he'd been living in the woods, feeding on rats and other   
despicable animals, there was always hope. After the demon latched   
ahold of him, and began to take him over, he caught sight of two people   
who were very much in love, and he remembered his mother.  
  
Yes, he could remember now. He'd hoped that someone else would   
learn to love him someday, even if he was a freak, a hanyou, caught   
between the killing instincts of a demon, and a frightened human child   
who just wanted to be loved.  
  
And he'd found that with Kagome. True, Kikyou claimed to have loved   
him, but she wasn't the same as Kagome. Kagome had been willing to   
give up on him altogether, just so he could be happy. She wanted to   
protect his happiness.  
  
He smiled, resting his head against her's. She was something else,   
really. Perhaps it was because of the time she was born in, the way she   
was raised. She never let her powers go to her head. She only ever   
used sit when he acted like a complete idiot, or was about to claw an   
innocent person from head to toe.  
  
His lips quirked a bit from a smile to a grin. His most recent sitting still   
left quite an impression, especially since Souta explained the reasons   
mortals in this time dated. He would have to talk to the kid again and try   
to find out how to make Kagome glow brighter than the christmas tree.  
  
Anyone who'd been viewing the scene in Inuyasha's room from far   
away could have told Inuyasha what he didn't realize, what he didn't   
see.  
  
He never noticed that he was glowing, too...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kouga kicked at the dirt, his bright blue eyes filled with contempt. He   
hadn't seen Kagome since she'd told him off about trying to kiss her   
five hundred years ago. Until last week, that is.  
  
Last week, he saw something he couldn't believe would ever happen in   
a million years.  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha were kissing.  
  
He'd stumbled across them accidentally while walking through the park   
with a girl he'd been casually dating. Upon seeing the heated lip-lock   
session, his heart had frozen quicker than a tear in antarctica. He could   
remember she'd said only one person had the right to kiss her. That she   
was in love with one person, who didn't love her back, who didn't know   
how she felt.  
  
Five hundred years ago, Inuyasha had refused to fight him when he'd   
called him out. That was the last time he ever saw Inuyasha. It was too   
much for him to see them locked in a passionate embrace, lips fused   
together as if should they part, they would die. He knew they weren't   
on a date with each other, Kagome wasn't dressed up, she was merely   
wearing her school uniform.  
  
Then, the softly whispered words that had passed between the pair had   
caused his already frozen heart to grow even colder.  
  
"We should go home..."  
  
"Why? Mom knows where we are. I want to be alone with you for a   
little while longer."  
  
"I know...but it's getting cold, and I don't want you to get sick..."   
Inuyasha had gently brushed a fragrant lock of Kagome's hair from her   
face.  
  
Kagome had blushed prettily, making Kouga's heart ache. "Alright,   
Inuyasha...let's go home..." Then, she'd taken his hand and they'd left   
the park, walking away, both seeming completely at peace.  
  
Kouga clenched his hand into a fist, not noticing or caring when his   
claws bit into his palm, drawing blood, which dripped down his hand   
and to the ground.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The darkness demon had almost given up hope when it located Kouga.   
It was by sheer luck and force of will it had managed to. When it did, it   
reached into his heart, surprised to find it almost overwhelmed by   
darkness.   
  
With a wicked grin, it slipped inside of him, latching hold. It'd made a   
mistake early in it's career, taking over a child. Children had hope, and   
hope could force it out of a body. This demon obviously had no hope,   
no delusions of love.  
  
This would be perfect.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The attack had come out of practically nowhere. Kagome, Inuyasha and   
Souta had been walking to school the next morning, and claws had   
ripped through Inuyasha's uniform and then his skin.  
  
Kagome let out a cry of pain seconds later as she was thrown far away   
from her white haired hanyou. "Inuyasha!" She cried, jumping to her   
feet. Something stopped her, though. She stared at the demon which   
had attacked and was shocked to see Kouga. "K-Kouga-kun?!"  
  
Inuyasha forced himself to his feet, wincing as he did so. "Kouga, teme,   
so you didn't keel after all..." He kept a claw over his shoulder, sensing   
a demon aside from his old rival in that body. "And the darkness   
demon." He said, surprised.  
  
Souta ran to his sister, his eyes concerned. "Onee-chan!" He cried,   
stopping beside her. "Are you okay?!"  
  
She nodded, looking at Inuyasha in worry. Then, her eyes flitted to   
Kouga. This deffinately wasn't the Kouga they used to know. He was   
cold, unfeeling. A flickering memory of an icy hand grasping her heart   
went through her mind and she gasped. Was that what Inuyasha was   
talking about? "Darkness Demon?!"  
  
Inuyasha nodded, his expression tight. "A demon that feeds on the   
darkness inside hearts. Looks like Kouga had some built up darkness   
and the demon took advantage of it." He saw Kagome coming towards   
him and gestured for her to stay behind him. "A wild guess says it's   
after the shikon no tama." He said stiffly, cracking his claws.  
  
"Kagome..." Kouga growled. "How could you kiss this dog-turd?!"   
The wolf-demon glared at Kagome, who gasped, blushing. "I told you,   
you're my woman. Not his!"  
  
Her eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth to retort.  
  
Inuyasha stopped her. "It wont do any good making him angrier. You   
have to find a way to increase his hope."  
  
Souta kept his arms protectively around his sister's shoulders, his eyes   
narrowed. He watched as Kouga lunged towards them and without   
realizing what he did, he extended his hand, and Kouga was thrown   
back, slamming against the building across the street. He dropped his   
hand, staring at it in shock. "What the hell was that?!"  
  
Kagome stared at her brother, remembering Kaede's prophetic words.  
  
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "We'll talk about it later. For now, let's tie   
him up and find a way to get this damn demon out of him without killing   
the worthless wolf." He grumbled, picking up the wolf-demon with ease   
and tossed him over his shoulder, heading back home.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kagome's mother was more than a little shocked to find a wolf-demon in   
her home when she returned. Especially one that appeared to be in a   
foul mood, and was tied up. Inuyasha, Kagome, and Souta sat on the   
couch, pondering something intently.  
  
The occupants of the room were silent, but they continued staring at   
whatever it was they were looking at.  
  
Mrs. Higurashi approached them, her face confused. "Shouldn't you all   
be in school?"  
  
"Hm..." Kagome muttered, still staring at whatever it was.  
  
It so happened, what they were staring at was none other than the very   
irritable wolf-demon they'd tied several rosary's around to keep him   
still. She sat on the couch, staring, completely baffled. "Oh, my." She   
said softly.  
  
"Yeah." Souta agreed, chewing on his finger.  
  
Also tied up on the ground was Grandpa, who'd been annoying the hell   
out of Inuyasha with the attempted exorsisms, not listening when the   
dog demon explained that the only way to get rid of a darkness demon   
was with sheer force of will.  
  
Also known as stubbornness.  
  
Kagome chewed on her nails. This was going to be tough. They had to   
build his hope without misleading him. "Kouga-kun...I'm sorry about   
how harsh I was the last time we spoke, but..."  
  
"Uresai..." Kouga snarled, fighting against the rosaries.  
  
"Kagome, we've got to be more subtle than that..." Inuyasha said,   
frowning deeply. "Either that, or we continually knock him out each   
time he wakes up." He sighed, scratching the back of his neck.  
  
"Nee-chan, why does he have two shikon shards in his legs?" Souta   
asked, his voice sounding as if anyone on the planet would be able to   
see them.  
  
Kagome looked at her brother in shock. "You can see them?!"  
  
Souta blinked, realizing what he said. "Um...Unless I was mistaking..."   
He looked from Kagome to Inuyasha, both of whom looked baffled and   
amazed. "Um...Onee-chan...did I do something wrong?"  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome continued to stare.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
End Chapter 2  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's notes: Neeee, whacha think? I think this story isn't going to   
take place in the past at all, and I think the focus might actually switch   
to Souta later in the story. I dunno. I'll keep things interesting,   
promise! *DemonLovin* ~DemonSaya~ 


	4. Chapter 3

Final Distance By: DemonSaya  
  
Disclaimer: Okay, I dun own any of these characters, I'm borrowing them, and I promised that I'd return them. Well...I promised because Inuyasha's rather mad that I kidnapped them for awhile and I'm afraid he may pull out his sword and demolish me...Please don't sue me, I already have a pmsing adolescent half-demon to deal with!  
  
Policy on Flamers: Give me Love, Peace, and Chicken Grease, and I shall give you the same. If you don't, I know lots of assassins, thieves, demons, and goddesses, that would love to hurt you if I told them you flamed ^_^  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 3-All in the Family  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kouga woke later that day, trussed up like a pig about to be roasted, which isn't exactly a bad way of putting it, as he was now not only bound by the rosaries, he was also tied quite tightly to the leg of a table. Growling, he struggled against it, remembering what he'd been trying to do.  
  
He was going to kill them. Both of them. Inuyasha for stealing his woman and Kagome for being an unfaithful bitch!  
  
"Kouga-kun..." Kagome said, dropping down to his level and looking him in the face. "You've got to fight it." She glanced towards her brother, who was rather nervous because Kagome had explained what Kaede said before they'd left the sengoku period.  
  
"You left with that dog turd?!" He snarled, fighting the table leg valiantly, but it had no effect. "I loved you, I treated you with kindness, I wanted to be with you! All he ever did was yell at you! Why did you pick him?! Why didn't you love me?!"  
  
Kagome smiled gently. "Kouga," She brushed his bangs from his face gently. "Yes, all of that may be true, but...you never stood a chance. I met Inuyasha months before you. I knew there was a softer side behind his tough exterior, and before I ever met you...I had already fallen for him..." She sighed, wrapping her hand around his, her eyes sad. "He didn't try to steal me from you, you tried to steal me from him."  
  
Kouga blinked in realization. Now that he thought about it, Kagome had always protected Inuyasha first and foremost. She protected him with the passion someone gives only someone they dearly love. "I loved you..." He accused. "Couldn't you have learned to love me?!"  
  
She shook her head. "I could only ever love Inuyasha."  
  
His head fell and grief overwhelmed him. He'd spent so much time loving her, wanting no one except her, and now he was expected to forget her?! Could he really do that?! He could never love anyone except Kagome! Suddenly, he blinked.  
  
Is this what she meant?  
  
Even knowing she might not be loved by Inuyasha in return, she'd entrusted her heart with him, wanting to see him happy, even at the risk of her own happiness. He closed his eyes, smiling sadly. Perhaps he could forget her. "Untie me." He said softly.  
  
Kagome hesitantly undid the knots, releasing the wolf-demon. "Are you going to try to kill us?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.  
  
"No..." He reached down, digging into his leg with his claw, ignoring a frightened house-wife's scream. He quickly withdrew the two shards, taking Kagome's hand, dropping them into it. "I'm leaving. These should finish the jewel." He paused, then brushed some of her hair back. "I'm going to try to forget you. Don't try to find me." He stood, walking out of the house, trying to retain some of his dignity in front of his arch rival and ex-love.  
  
Inuyasha watched him go. "I wasn't sure that was going to work." He said, leaning against the wall, his golden eyes darkening a bit. He glanced towards his girlfriend, who looked slightly saddened, and he understood why. Even if Kouga had grown bitter and began to hate them, they both still considered him a friend, or at least a good rival.  
  
"Neither was I." She stood, dusting off her knees and sighing heavily, glancing towards her brother. "Souta, we will need to talk very soon."  
  
"Mou, nee-chan!" Souta grumbled, glaring at her. "I get the point, I've got some special power's or some wierd crap like that."  
  
"Correction," an eerily familiar voice said from the door which Kouga had just left from. "You have power's equalling your sisters. But for a different purpose."  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome spun around, seeing three figures standing in the door. The shortest was about four-foot-eleven, with bright red hair and golden eyes. Next up from him was an oddly familiar young man with long orange hair pulled back into a pony tail and bright green eyes.  
  
But the one who spoke stood in the middle. He was the tallest, and obviously the oldest, with medium length white hair and bright golden eyes which shone under long white bangs. "Her's to protect the Shikon no Tama. Yours to destroy the strongest demons."  
  
Kagome stared at him as Inuyasha ran up beside her. "You again?" Her face looked tired and somewhat exasperated.  
  
"What?" Souta asked. "You know him?"  
  
Inuyasha frowned a bit, arching an eyebrow. "It's my older brother."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sesshoumaru bowed deeply, if not somewhat sarcastically. "Ore wa Sesshoumaru." He rested a hand on the kid's head, ruffling it. "This is Koji, and you should recognize the other one."  
  
Kagome was already clasping hands with her old friend, and hugging him tightly. "Shippou-chan!" She cried, ecstatic.  
  
Shippou grinned, winking at her. "Yo." He looked towards Inuyasha and smiled widely. "Hey, dog breath. Long time no see."  
  
Inuyasha growled at him.  
  
Koji glared at Souta, buffing his nails. "Oi, Sesshoumaru-sama, are you sure this brat is THE one?" He looked the boy up and down. "He's just a squirt."  
  
Souta glared at Koji, hands fisting. "I'll have you know I'm a black belt in martial arts, and I've had kendo and kempo training!" He walked towards the young demon. "So who are you calling a squirt?! I'm taller than you for crissake!"  
  
The red-haired boy snorted. "You are a squirt. Mortal, soft. If a strong wind came along, it'd blow you away. You think you're material for killing demons. Keh."  
  
Kagome smiled towards Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, he has your attitude."  
  
Inuyasha snorted.  
  
The argument continued to escalate until finally, both were in each other's faces. At that point, Inuyasha grabbed the back of Souta's shirt and pulled him back while his brother mirrored his behavior with Koji.  
  
Sesshoumaru gave Koji a look and the boy simmered down quickly, while the great demon took a seat on the couch. "I've come with bad news, Inuyasha." He said evenly, his face emotionless once again.  
  
Inuyasha sat down across from him, while Kagome and Souta sat on either side of him. "What's up?" He asked, feeling an odd prickle at the back of his neck. Something was deffinately wrong. He could feel it in the air, see it in the way the trees shuddered away from the breeze. Danger was coming, and it was moving quickly.  
  
"Naraku's soul never went to the underworld."  
  
Kagome's head snapped up, eyes half-frightened. "Naraku?!" She asked, standing up abruptly. She couldn't remember what happened when her powers had exploded but everyone told her Naraku had been destroyed.  
  
"Shit..." Inuyasha growled.  
  
"It get's worse." The older demon said matter of factly. "Naraku may be alive, but he's weak. Very, very weak. He's not the bad news. The bad news is named Yashura."  
  
Kagome frowned, tilting her head to the side. "Yashura?" That name sent shivers down her spine and she noticed her brother had started shaking like a leaf on a tree. "Souta?!"  
  
He hugged himself, curling forward into a ball. Someone was trying to tell him something. He couldn't quite make it out. It was as if a part of him was closed off to recieving it's message.  
  
Sesshoumaru nodded. "A very old, frightfully powerful demon. She's older than father would have been if he was still alive." He frowned deeply. "Some say she's the oldest demon still living, but she doesn't age like other demons. She hasn't aged in over a thousand years. I don't even think the Bakuryuuha could destroy her."  
  
Shippou pointed at the fourteen year old boy who was doubled over, clutching his head. "That's where the kid comes in." He said, thumbing Souta. "We've recieved news she's in Japan again, and we're almost positive she'll come after the Shikon no Tama. Somewhere in him lays the power to destroy her."  
  
Inuyasha glanced down at Souta in surprise. "Well, damn, I knew I felt power similar to Kagome's but will it be enough? Kagome's 'power burst' covered all of Japan five hundred years ago, but Naraku still exists. If he has more power than her, then it'll kill him!"  
  
Kagome squeezed his arm, her eyes worried. "Sesshoumaru, what is this power that he has?"  
  
"There are many. Some are the same as yours. Other's are different. He will not experience the fireworks you did in Sengoku Jidai." He said, brushing a strand of hair behind his ear. "His powers will take physical form. Or at least that's what the prophecy says."  
  
"Prophecy?!" She asked, jumping up. "What prophecy?"  
  
"Koji." Sesshoumaru said shortly.  
  
Koji pulled out a very old, worn book. "I'll make it simple for the kid," He said, giving Souta a disdainful look. "A girl with the power to travel through time would meet a boy sealed for what was meant to be all eternity. Together they'd embark on a great adventure, and the girls power would emerge, bringing about the completion of a legendary jewel."  
  
"Five hundred years after the girls power explode, her closest relative, a male, would experience what is called the call of the light, and his powers would begin to emerge. When they reached their peak, they would take shape into a sword of legendary power, only capable of being weilded by the boy." He snapped the book closed. "'Nuff said."  
  
Souta shook his head. "This isn't possible. Kagome's the one with the great power. She's the glow bug. I'm just a kid!"  
  
"Keh, so he admits it." Koji muttered, sitting down, his arms crossed in annoyance.  
  
"Your sister was your age when her powers errupted." Shippou said. "Face it, kid, you're going to be powerful, too."  
  
"But..." He jumped up. "Why us?! Why my family?!"  
  
Sesshoumaru's mouth quirked just a bit. "Because it's in your blood." He saw the confusion on Kagome and Inuyasha's faces and fought to keep from smiling. "After all, you descended from the most powerful demon huntress and priest in the history of Japan. Sango and Miroku."  
  
Silence fell over the room. When it was broken, it was Inuyasha who spoke.  
  
"Well, at least that explains Kagome's thing about beating me up." He muttered, which may as well have been a shout, considering said female was right next to him, and the room was so silent you could have heard a pin drop.  
  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome said, inhaling deeply. "Sit."  
  
He promptly ate hardwood. "You bitch..." He muttered from where he lay.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Souta sat in his room, staring out the window. This was just too much. First he and his sister get attacked by a jealous ex-boyfriend, then he get's told he's some legendary sword wielder. Then, he meets this annoying little brat, who happened to be half fire-spirit and half kitsune demon.  
  
Then, to add insult to his already injured psyche, he finds out he's related to a lecherous monk and his older sister's best friend from five hundred years ago.  
  
Hell, just add getting kidnapped and this would be a well rounded day.  
  
Yeah, if your name was Ranma and you lived in Nerima. He could practically swear his life was turning into a bloody drama/romance genre manga. Hell, maybe he could sell this to someone and make big bucks off it. The story of me and my sister's lives. He snorted. It's make a best seller.  
  
He leaned back, lacing his fingers and tucking his hands behind his head. Idly he wondered if this was the kind of crap Kagome had gone through for a year while in Sengoku Jidai. Probably.  
  
He finally went to his bed, slipping under the covers and staring up at the roof. If it had been him, he wasn't sure if he'd have been able to deal with it. Even if he'd had a person to share it with.  
  
He rolled onto his stomach, finding there was too much in his mind to sleep tonight.  
  
"Who the hell is this Yashura person anyways?" He grumbled. This was supposed to be his sisters thing, not his. He'd led a carefree, generally event free life. Except the few times he was almost killed by a demon or stray spirit in his time. "Dammit..." He grumbled, frowning deeply.  
  
Maybe he should get a girlfriend or something. That seemed to help his sister make it through reassembling the jewel without going completely insane. Hm, where could he find a femal half-demon pinned to a tree?  
  
He snorted at the thought. No, it was more than a little obvious he was going to have to rely on his sister and Inuyasha's strength to keep from going nuts. And his own eyes and ears.  
  
"If I can see it and I can touch it, then it's real." He muttered, quoting one of his all time favorite import movies, 'The Mummy'. He snorted, glaring into nothing. Then again, he'd never really seen the spirit of his friends dead sister, either, and it had almost killed him.  
  
No, he was deffinately not cut out for this. He was just a kid. Unable to protect himself against the bigger kids at school, who insisted on beating him up from time to time.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kagome sat in her room, wondering how her brother was taking all of this. Probably about as well as she had a first. Trying to find a quick way to get the hell away from all of this. She giggled softly, shaking her head. Now she was more than slightly glad she'd stuck around. If Souta manage to get past this stage, surely he would, too.  
  
She fingered the now completed jewel, her eyes contemplative. It was only a matter of time now. Soon her job in this time would begin once again. With a vengence.  
  
She knew because Inuyasha had been tense all day. Even before the mention of that demon, Yashura, who no doubt would give them all more headaches than even Naraku had in the end. She just hoped Souta stayed cool, and didn't loose sight of himself.  
  
Like she almost had.  
  
With a quick shake of her head, she drug the brush through her hair, knowing it would be another sleepless night for all three of them. She hadn't had a night this tense since Naraku had been destroyed three years ago.  
  
Three years...  
  
Her eyes softened, saddening slightly. In three years, Inuyasha and she had never been on one date, and she could count the number of times they'd spoken their feelings on one hand. She knew feelings like this still weren't easy for him, but geeze. If he didn't propose to her soon, she was going to go nuts.  
  
Either that, or she'd lock herself and him in his room until either she had a proposal, or neither of them were virgins anymore. She felt a giggle slip from between her lips. Her mother would have a cow.  
  
Staring into her mirror, she forced her mind to other things, things that had happened more often. Things Inuyasha had done that had made her happy beyond belief. He held hands with her whenever they were together, now, and he wasn't so afraid to hold her. When they were in public, he would find little excuses to touch her, like lint in her hair, or dirt on her face from working in her very small garden. Kisses were another thing he gave freely now.  
  
Now those were something she deffinately couldn't count on her hands, because they'd probably kissed a million times since their original confession. She focused back on the mirror and giggled. She was glowing again. This time, it was softly tinged with pink.  
  
When Inuyasha first found he could make her glow different colors, he'd kept her with him for almost three hours, seeing how many he could make her turn. Pink when she was feeling snuggly, yellow when she laughed, orange when she was being tickled.  
  
Two she'd discovered on her own were blue, red, and green. She glowed blue when she was sad or upset, red when angry, and green when jealous. She didn't glow those very much anymore.  
  
She could remember the first time she'd glowed green was at school, when a very popular girl had tried to get her hooks into Inuyasha. She'd even gone through the trouble of sending him a LOT of love letters, and the things they said continued to escalate until finally, she tried to kiss him in the school yard.  
  
Kagome had quickly interceded. Inuyasha had been too shocked to move.  
  
The resulting catfight had both girls suspended for a week, and afterwards, girls didn't try to snatch Inuyasha away. They were too afraid of Kagome's wrath.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Inuyasha, while Kagome and Souta were sitting in their rooms was raiding the fridge. Thinking always made him hungry, and he'd been doing alot of thinking today. He quickly decided on a glass of chocolate milk (something he'd quickly developed a taste for after first coming to Kagome's time), and some cookies he found hidden in the very back of the pantry, obviously hidden for later consumption.  
  
Well, Inuyasha found them after they'd been hidden, so it was officially later consumption, he decided, popping one into his mouth and washing it down with the milk.  
  
When he got yelled at for it later, he'd merely say he didn't know they were hidden, he just thought they'd been forgotten. With a shrug, he sat at the table, contemplating his brother's arrival with the kit and that new brat that seemed to work for his brother. His brain had grown alot in his brief time in Kagome's time, due partially to the massive cramming he'd done with her to make sure he got into the high school she was in.  
  
He'd been pondering and munching on cookies for several minutes when a familiar scent tickled his nose. The cookie he had clasped between his lips fell as realization grasped him.  
  
Naraku.  
  
It had changed alot in five hundred years, but it was the same scent. He jumped to his feet, tearing from the kitchen and up the stairs into Kagome's room.  
  
She spun quickly, looking at him in shock. "Inuyasha?!"  
  
He sniffed, knowing it was nearby, feeling the presence getting closer. But the scent wasn't in this room. It was coming from the room down the hall. It hit him like an icy fist in the gut and he whispered the name in shock. "Souta?!" He turned on his heal, dropping to all fours and sprinting to the other room.  
  
He heard Kagome following behind him and practically ripped the door off it's hinges as he threw it open. "Naraku!" He growled, seeing the face of Maikeru wearing Naraku's grin. "Teme, you took over another human." He snarled, seeing Souta was barely conscious and hanging limply from Naraku's grasp.  
  
Kagome skidded to a stop behind him, her eyes wide with worry. "Souta!"  
  
Naraku smiled wickedly. "I'm taking this boy with me. I'll return him when you give me the Shikon no Tama. Until then..." He jumped backwards out of the window, laughing along the way. "He stays with me!"  
  
Meanwhile, Souta was thinking: Call me Ranma...  
  
Inuyasha ran towards the window, glaring after his arch nemesis. "Naraku..." He snarled, his muscles tensing, about to go after him.  
  
Kagome threw her arms around his back, pressing her face between his shoulder blades. "Tell me it's a bad dream..." She whispered, tears in her eyes. "Tell me he didn't take my little brother..."  
  
Inuyasha stopped himself, turning towards the woman he loved. "I'm sorry, Kagome..." He whispered, embracing her tightly. "Don't worry, I'll get him back. We both will..." I promise...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
End Chapter 3  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Notes: Hm...Souta kidnapped, that's a new one for me. Yes, Naraku is deffinately going to regret doing this. What do ya think of Sesshoumaru's new attitude? Oh, and sorry if Souta seems a bit too much like Inuyasha, now! Three years with someone you practically idolize, you'd change alot, too! Hope you're enjoying the story thus far! *DemonLovin* ~DemonSaya~ 


	5. Chapter 4

Final Distance By: DemonSaya  
  
Disclaimer: Okay, I dun own any of these characters, I'm borrowing them, and I promised that I'd return them. Well...I promised because Inuyasha's rather mad that I kidnapped them for awhile and I'm afraid he may pull out his sword and demolish me...Please don't sue me, I already have a pmsing adolescent half-demon to deal with!  
  
Policy on Flamers: Give me Love, Peace, and Chicken Grease, and I shall give you the same. If you don't, I know lots of assassins, thieves, demons, and goddesses, that would love to hurt you if I told them you flamed ^_^  
  
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Chapter 4-Old Enemy, New Friend  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They stayed home until the next morning, when Kagome told her mother it was absolutely necessary that she and Inuyasha get called in sick. A quick discussion later, they were out the door, Kagome equipped with a cross bow she'd recieved from Inuyasha for Christmas a year ago. Not the most romantic gift, perhaps, but considering their lives, a practical one.  
  
That particular year, she'd broken her old bow.  
  
Inuyasha had his sword strapped to his back, the hilt having been repaired on their last visit to Sengoku Jidai. The once very damaged hilt was now suitable for a real katana. Kagome never really got him anything for his sword, not that she could, since it WAS a demonic sword, and it wasn't like other's.  
  
They walked along the street, Kagome's weapon concealed in a shopping bag. It had a dart already loaded in it. Silently, she hoped this year, Inuyasha got her something more romantic. She knew it wasn't his strong suit, but she could hope.  
  
Despite her light-hearted banter with him as they walked along the street, trying not to be thought strangely of, trying to make it look like there was nothing wrong, their hearts were serious, and somewhat grim.  
  
Their last fight against Naraku had not been pleasant.  
  
Now add Kagome's little brother into the mix, and you officially have hell.  
  
As they walked along side by side, Inuyasha sensed Kagome's ever growing concern. Gently, he reached out, wrapping his hand around hers. "Don't worry, Kagome. We'll get him back." He said softly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.  
  
"I know, Inuyasha, but I can't help but be afraid. He's still a child, Inuyasha..."  
  
"He's as old as you were when it all began." The hanyou grinned towards her, till he saw the now grim expression on her face. "Don't you trust me?"  
  
"I trust you the most. But I remember the last time. I remember like it was yesterday, even though it's been over three years now. I'm afraid for him." She sighed, hugging herself.  
  
He stopped, pulling her into his arms. "Don't worry, Kagome. I wont let anything happen to Souta." He murmured into her hair, stroking her back. "We'll get him back, I promise."  
  
She buried her face into his shoulder, fisting her hands into his shirt. "I can't help it, Inuyasha. He's my baby brother...if anything happens to him..."  
  
"Nothing will. Naraku may have a form, now, but it's human, and humans have morals..." Gently, he coaxed her face up, smiling at her tenderly. "It's different now, Kagome, and Souta's a tough kid...like his sister..." He added, giving her nose a thump. "Ne?"  
  
She nodded, inhaling deeply. He was right. Her brother wasn't the wimp he'd once been. He'd matured into a young man in three years and was ready to start developing the powers that were now emerging. This was the first hurdle only. Something told her that it was going to be all uphill for awhile.  
  
* * *  
  
Souta looked at his captor, his expression exasperated rather than fearful. He wasn't frightened. He was pissed. It wasn't that he was loosing the normalcy that he'd had-that left three years ago when his sister was pulled through the enchanted well. It wasn't even that he was being used to get his sister and Inuyasha here.  
  
He'd been there for almost six hours, but that wasn't it, either.  
  
He was getting hungry.  
  
He'd learned long ago that when he got hungry, he got cranky, which was a trait he shared with his sister.  
  
To add to his irritation, he'd been watching his captor argue with himself since he'd been kidnapped.  
  
"I don't want to hurt her! She's a good person, and she doesn't treat me like crap. If you want me to kill mom, sure, but Higurashi? What for?!" Then, his voice would change, going all deep and scary. "I told you, she is my enemy. She is the one who killed me. Now, let me take over, and kill her and the brat."  
  
"Ano..." Souta finally interrupted, his eyes closed, his temple throbbing. "I'm hungry." He said evenly when he had the boys attention.  
  
Maikeru got up, moving as it to go get him some food, while his mouth was talking in that deep voice again. "What are you doing?! You don't feed a prisoner, you idiot!!"  
  
Souta looked at the boy strangely. "Inner conflict?" He asked, cracking a wide grin.  
  
Maikeru looked towards him in surprise. "Huh?"  
  
"You've been arguing with yourself for six hours. Either you've got multiple personalities, or you've got one hell of an inner conflict going on. I've seen my sister argue with herself for three hours straight...but that was before Inuyasha came to live with us."  
  
Maikeru sat down, looking at the boy intently. He grabbed a pack of cookies and handed it to him. "Tell me about them."  
  
Souta blinked in surprise, catching the cookies. "Not much to tell. I guess Kagome's the best older sister anyone could have. She's not weak, but she's not exceptionally strong. She thinks alot, and she's pretty clever. She's also got a helluva lot of power. It's kinda wierd. She glows when she's happy."  
  
"Glows...?"  
  
"Yeah, three years ago, her spiritual powers peaked, causing some rather interesting side effects. She's a priestess, and from what Inuyasha says, a really powerful one."  
  
"And this...Inuyasha?"  
  
"He's a hanyou. Kagome met him three and a half years ago, I guess, and they've been together since then. About five months after they met, they started getting mushy." Souta paused long enough to roll his eyes. "Love stuff, ya know. Anyways, he's been my hero for as long as I can remember, and as cool a guy as they come. My sis says he's got a foul temper though."  
  
Maikeru ignored Naraku's voice while thinking of this new information. The pair seemed like generally good people, so why would Naraku hate them so much. Or was it possible that Naraku was the bad guy?  
  
Naraku was getting annoyed, so while Maikeru was thinking, he gathered strength from the boy's aura and forced the boy's spirit down, while taking it's place. This was going to be too easy...  
  
* * *  
  
Inuyasha busted down the door to the room to find Souta laying in the corner, in pretty bad shape, with their classmate, Maikeru standing over him. "NARAKU!!!" He snarled, lunging towards the boy, his hands fisted. If anything happened to that kid, Inuyasha was going to tear him limb from limb...  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called. "Remember, he's a human, and Maikeru's spirit may still be in there!!!"  
  
"Okay, then I'll just beat him up a bit...Check on Souta..." He muttered, then lunged for Maikeru, intent to severely maim in his eyes.  
  
Kagome rushed towards her brother, kneeling beside him. "Souta, daijoubu?!" She whispered, lifting his face and crying out in shock. He was unconscious, and there were bruises from his hairline down to his collar. "Oh, Souta..." She whispered, her eyes tearing up.  
  
Inuyasha, who'd paused in his fighting, glanced back towards Kagome. When he saw what had happened to Souta, rage filled him. A snarl tore from his throat. "TEME!"  
  
Naraku smiled wickedly. Lifting one hand, he knocked Inuyasha aside, then lunged for Kagome, hands going around her neck.  
  
Kagome gasped for air, struggling against her possessed classmate, her eyes never leaving his. Just as her world was about to go dark, the pressure was gone.  
  
"NO!!!" Maikeru cried. "I CAN'T DO IT!" He staggered away from them both. "I can't kill her...I wont, Naraku, you can't make me do this..."  
  
Inside his head, he heard Naraku telling him to give in, but shook his head vehemently. "No..." He whispered. "Naraku...Get out..."  
  
In the next moments, Naraku went from his comfortable human body, to the outside world in less than a second, and even more of his strength was gone. With an outraged cry, he vanished.  
  
Maikeru collapsed.  
  
Meanwhile, Inuyasha had run towards Kagome, prepared to fend off Naraku if he came in for seconds. When he determined the demon was gone, by useage of his powerful nose, he turned to Kagome, checking on her throat.  
  
Kagome held her hand over it, taking in gulps of air. She kept one hand resting on Souta's head, stroking his hair.  
  
"Kagome..." Inuyasha whispered, coaxing her hand away so he could see the bruises. His jaw clenched upon seeing the marks and he glared at Maikeru. "Teme..." He growled.  
  
Souta groaned, opening his eyes, and peering out of the one that wasn't swollen shut. "Kagome-oneechan?" He asked quietly, wincing as he sat up. He glanced around, seeing his captor on the ground, and Inuyasha looking fit to kill.  
  
Kagome embraced her brother carefully. "Souta!" She whispered, overjoyed.  
  
"Ite! Kagome, go easy on the ribs!" He grumbled, pulling away and rubbing his sides. "I think I'm one big bruise." He glanced towards Maikeru, his eyes frowning. "Is he alright?"  
  
"He wont be once I'm done with him..." Inuyasha snarled, cracking his claws. His mind was a sea of red. All he could think was that this mortal bastard had hurt his girl. He pushed himself to his feet, stalking towards the boy.  
  
"Inuyasha-" Kagome interjected.  
  
Inuyasha silenced her with a deep growl. "He hurt you. He kidnapped your brother and almost killed him." He glanced back at her. "He would have killed you too."  
  
"It wasn't him." Souta said softly, looking towards the unconscious boy. "He was being manipulated."  
  
"A DEMON CAN ONLY POSSESS A HUMAN WITH PERMISSION!" Inuyasha was almost beyond reason. He wanted to tear the brat limb from limb. Kagome got hurt. He hurt Kagome. He had to die or he'd come back and kill her!  
  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome rested a hand on his arm. "I'm fine. Stop it or I'll use the word, I promise." She saw the fury in his eyes and tightened her grasp.  
  
"But he-"  
  
She went between her boyfriend and the boy laying on the ground. "He could have, but he didn't. He forced Naraku out of his body so he wouldn't be forced to hurt me." She lifted a hand, touching his face. "It may not be his fault, let's hear what happened."  
  
Inuyasha tried to find an excuse to stay angry, but he knew she was right. "Fine..." He growled, glaring away. "But we tie him up FIRST."  
  
Kagome nodded shortly, and they used the rope that had been tying Souta to tie up Maikeru. Inuyasha was glaring at the boy from where he'd chosen to sit, while Kagome checked on Souta. The demon heard several shocked gasps and more than a few angry ones. "Is he okay?"  
  
Souta gave his sister and smiled. "I'm okay, sis...honest..."  
  
"But...but..." She looked at the bruises covering his abdomon, tears filling her eyes. She wrapped her brother in a tender embrace, pressing her face against his shoulder. "Oh, Souta..." She whispered.  
  
Inuyasha chose to look back at their captive, giving them a little privacy, since the boy's eyes were tearing up, too. His eyes widened when he realized he was being looked at by the human boy. "Teme..." He growled.  
  
"Is Kagome-san okay?" He asked, his eyes somewhat concerned. "Is Souta- san okay?"  
  
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "They're fine, no thanks to you." He growled. "What the fuck happened here?!"  
  
Kagome scooted to Inuyasha's side, bringing Souta with her. "What happened, Maikeru-kun?" Kagome asked quietly, her voice slightly raspy.  
  
The boy closed his eyes. "I...I didn't know this would happen. I didn't know he would go as far as to use me to kill. I thought it was a silly grudge. It seemed like a dream come true to me..." He laughed bitterly.  
  
Kagome felt Inuyasha put a protective arm around her and gave his hand a squeeze, tellng him she was really okay.  
  
Maikeru forced himself into a sitting position, his face miserable. "I was terminally ill, I was dying of cancer..." He said softly. "Naraku offered me a chance of a full recovery, a chance to make my family miserable. I actually convinced myself they wanted me to die." He closed his eyes tightly, his face angry. "I was willing to go along with giving him a body, if he'd let me live on...but then I started noticing his thoughts, and found that when he was distracted, I could slip in and take control of my own body again, but because it was seeped in his powers, my cancer died away..." He lifted his face. "But he's stronger than me, he was managing to push me away bit by bit..."  
  
Souta frowned a bit. "Where is he now?"  
  
Inuyasha answered before Maikeru could. "Gone. His scent is gone completely, but..." He pointed at the trussed up boy. "You're still emitting Youki, meaning that some of his powers touched your soul, and you're partially demon now." He glanced towards Kagome. "Do you think it's a good idea to trust him?"  
  
She looked towards Inuyasha and nodded a bit. "Perhaps I trust too easily, but I'm usually a god judge of character. I don't sense Naraku here anymore. Perhaps he's finally moved on, but I don't think so. I suspect he's going to wait for another body." She sighed. "I guess we'll have to be careful from now on, especially you, Souta." She chastized softly. "You're going to have to begin to fingerprint demons."  
  
"Fingerprint?"  
  
"I'll explain later." She said wearily.  
  
"Is...there anything I can do..." Maikeru asked timidly. "To get you all to forgive me for being an idiot?"  
  
Inuyasha made a rude sound, getting to his feet. "Keh. Naraku plays mind games on everyone. What makes you so special that you get forgiven?" He glared at the boy for a long moment. "Everyone screws up sometimes. If I had to ask for forgiveness for every stupid thing I've ever done, I'd be at it for hours, each day. All you can do is get over it and not let it happen again."  
  
Kagome looked at her boyfriend in surprise. She hadn't heard him say anything quite as profound recently. It had been a long time since he'd said anything quite like that. She smiled, cutting the ropes binding Maikeru. "You don't need to repent to us. Just be our friend, and everything will be fine. You may be a great help with those lingering powers remaining from Naraku."  
  
His eyes lit up, shimmering. "R-right! I'll help you guys from now on! Maybe you can teach me how to use these and not waste them!" He suggested, his entire demenor like an excited kid.  
  
Kagome sighed. "I think while I'm teaching Souta, we should call over Shippou and the others, and have them help..." She said blandly, then they began to file out of the room.  
  
But as they exited, Souta felt something grip him, whispering in his ears in words he couldn't quite grasp, speaking in a language he couldn't quite understand. He paused, glancing back into the room, and a vision swept into his vision, but left him as quickly. As he tried to grasp it, it slipped through his hands like water, leaving him shaken and disoriented.  
  
"Souta?" Kagome asked, glancing back at him.  
  
"Um..." Souta glanced back towards her. "Sorry..." He hurried to catch up, wondering what had just happened.  
  
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End Chapter 4  
  
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Author's Notes: Hmmm...No, this isn't the official end of Naraku. I still have plans for his evil little spirit. Maikeru is cool from here on out, and enjoy next chapter. Coming Soon: Young Love and a New Moon-Meet Hikari, Kagome's first disciple, and enjoy the events on Kagome and Inuyasha's first date... 


End file.
